COEUR d'ALENE - Grace Green and Shelby McIntosh are best friends, and together they may someday change the way the world thinks about betta fish.

The Garwood Elementary School sixth-graders presented their prototype for the "Golden Betta" during the 25th annual North Idaho Regional Invent Idaho competition in the Silver Lake Mall on Sunday. The two teamed up to create a species that has the gentle temperament of a goldfish, yet the coloration of the antisocial betta fish.

"It's a really pretty fish that doesn't fight," Shelby said.

"We were thinking, if we breed the goldfish with the betta fish, it will still have the pretty colors of the betta fish but you can have as many as you want in your tank," Grace added.

More than 300 first- through eighth-grade public and home-schooled students from North Idaho showcased more than 200 inventions in five categories: Working Models, Non-working Models, Adaptations, Games and Jules Verne. The "Golden Betta" was in the Jules Verne category, which included fantastical and far-reaching innovations.

John Brown Elementary School students Shayla Merrifield, 12, and her sister Kinsey, 9, invented the "Scratch-O-Matic," an adaptation device that prevents sore arms caused by reaching to scratch one's back. Shayla said the most fun part was building the 3-D model.

"It was good for cooperation for them to work on a project together, and fun to watch their process and the ideas," said their mom, Danielle Merrifield. "It gets them away from the video games and really stretches their imaginations and their creativity."

Forrest Bird Charter School eighth-grader Sarah Warren, 14, of Sandpoint, created the "iProject," a projector stand that utilizes modern technology. Her dad, a second-grade teacher, was the inspiration for her invention.

"It was something that he needed in his class. He helped me create the idea," she said. "He really needed something that fit his iPad without having to take the case off of it, and something that would fit two sheets of paper instead of one. None of the projectors that we saw would do that ... it's really nice because it's childproof, too."

Her invention only cost her $14.60 to make, and the first-time Invent Idaho participant already has people lined up to buy it.

"It was really fun. I didn't think I would like it at first because I'm not someone who likes to invent," she said. "But once I got started and all the ideas came together, it was extremely fun, and I really loved it."

The creativity behind the contraptions was endless. Students found better ways to hunt, grow seeds and use solar panels, how to detect dangerous animals with an animal translation device and better ways to administer health care to children. Innovative board games, hydroelectric airplanes and a snorkel that produces oxygen were among the many imaginative entries. Students were judged by category, best of show and age group. Exhibits included journals tracking the inventor's progress. Some included voice recordings introducing the projects, and many had catchy slogans.

Invent Idaho co-founder Beth Brubaker of Hayden, who has been involved in the program since its inception in 1989, said Invent Idaho is a celebration of creativity.

"It's amazing," she said. "Every year, these creative young inventors come up with outstanding solutions to the problems in our world. It's really inspiring. I think our future's in really good hands."

Regional qualifiers will be attending the Invent Idaho state finals March 7-8 at the University of Idaho in Moscow.